§ 39. Sir F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many hours she estimates were lost to industry through unofficial strikes during May, June, July, August, September and October, 1969.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerAs the reply consists of a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Separate estimates are available only for stoppages known to be official. The great majority of the remainder would have been unofficial. All these estimates are subject to continuous adjustment as new information is received. Estimates for October are not yet available.
Following is the information now available:
Working days lost in all stoppages in progress Total Known to be official May,1969 … 396,000 106,000 June,1969 … 405,000 165,000 July,1969 … 427,000 121,000 August,1969 … 542,000 28,000 September,1969 … 361,000 12,000
§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what has been the number of days lost by unofficial strikes to date in 1969 ; and what was the number for the same period last year.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerIt is provisionally estimated that in the period 1st January to 30th September, 1969, stoppages of work due to industrial disputes resulted in the loss of a total of 3,989,000 working days at the establishments where the dis-160W putes occurred. Of this total 1,188,000 days were accounted for by stoppages known to have been official. The great majority of the remainder would have been unofficial. For the same period in 1968 the corresponding figures were 3,907,000and 2,069,000.
§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is satisfied with the progress so far made to implement the agreement reached with the Trades Union Congress last July on dealing with unofficial strikes ; and if she will make a Statement.
§ Mrs. CastleThe Government welcome the manner in which the T.U.C. General Council has set about using its new powers to attempt to settle or avert serious disputes.